Starting a Podcast

Apr, 2019

Starting a Podcast

Image credit: Unsplash | Juja Han

Podcasts are this untapped world full of creativity, knowledge and storytelling – they are like radio talk shows, without the music breaks. Podcasts have multiple genres and different outlets on which you distribute your podcast on. They have been around for a while now, and Agents Digital has decided to join in on the fun and start experimenting with our own podcasts!

As we get closer and closer to our first upload, we noticed there are 3 main things you should think about before starting a podcast:

1. Equipment & Software

The physical equipment used for the podcast are a computer and microphone(s). The microphone we ended up using is the, “Snowball Ice by Blue – A Plug and Play USB Microphone”. It is really simple to use too. The product comes with a “USB type B cable” to plug into your computer and a stand for which the mic sits on top of.

This is our microphone being used in our office

The box says the microphone is compatible with both Mac and Windows computers. We used it on a Windows 10 computer and it worked perfectly! When tested, there was no feedback in the audio. Meaning the room did not sound “echo-ey”, and it is important to make sure your not in a big, empty, “echo-ey” space when recording because it will effect your audio.

It should also be noted that the further you are in distance from the microphone the worse the volume quality in the audio will be. Also, the size & design of the room can trigger the audio quality as well. Recording in a small room with carpet, has less of an echo than, recording in a big room with hardwood flooring; but after looking into the product online, there is no doubt that this product is perfect for an entry level podcast.

The microphone obviously is what you use record but how do you edit your audio? Audacity is what we use. There are a multiple other editing software options but we choose Audacity because a) its an open source software therefore, free to download, b) its easy to use and I (the editor) am familiar with it and c) it come with all the features needed to create a successful podcast audio file.

Some of the other popular options for editing software include: Apple’s GarageBand and Adobe Audition CC. Adobe Audition CC is a bit more complex built to please your need as you do get complete control of everything. But takes a lot more time and energy to get used to, and learn. But Audition costs money; so, if you plan on taking this podcast seriously and to the next level, than this is the software would be a great investment for you. GarageBand is only available for apple products, MaciOS and iOS. It’s free for those users. GarageBand comes with all the necessary tools needed to edit a podcast and more. Audacity is available for both Apple and Windows users. Its completely free and comes with all the needed features including:

There are lots of homes to choose from. Some are free, others are not. But it all depends on what you are looking for in a host. Some hosts provide different features like analytics/statistics, and some allow you to monetize your podcast. But some hosts are much harder to use, compared to others and may come with limitations, but I will do comparisons of hosts in another blog.

Your host should be able to accommodate to you, and your needs. Agents Digital is planning on using CastBox. Our second choice would be SoundCloud. As a beginner type podcast, we want the process to be simple and have as little stress as possible.

Not everyone may know who or what CastBox is as much as SoundCloud, that’s okay. We went for the underdog. Not all your audience is going to be on that one host. You can distribute your podcast to other platforms like Spotify, iTunes, SoundCloud and more using an RSS link that most hosts provide for you.

These platforms offer features that are necessary to have in order to run a successful podcast. CastBox was specifically the choice we went with because it was free, easy to use and came with all the features they offer as a platform. Easy uploading process and unlimited storage. Provides the basic analytics, to help your podcast thrive. Plus, they have a monetize feature as well. Yes, you can make money just for talking into a microphone for an hour of your day. What a dream!

3. Content

Content is the main ingredient to your podcast. Content is the majority of your podcast, after your introduction, before your conclusion – the middle of your podcast. Each episode should have a main concept, or at least multiple mini topics inside.

Here’s an idea, before recording create an outline for your podcast, you can write it down on a piece of paper, your phone or even a whiteboard. Start the outline off with your shows introduction and gradually work your way through to the end of the podcast. You don’t have to write an essay or formulate a script, try to jot down some ideas/topics for that episode. It’s easy.

Being prepared and having a sense of direction for the podcast will relieve some of your pre-recording gitters. Plus if for some reason you start to get off topic, lost your train of thought you can look at your notes, and know exactly what you need to do and/or say.

A lot of planning goes into starting a podcast, but in the long run, it will be beneficial. But hey, If you don’t want to start a podcast, you should definitely try listening to one. There are so many to choose from, its a great way to optimize your time and maybe even motivate you!

I know a great one that you should totally listen to when it launches, created and record by yours truly at Agents Digital. 🙂